Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 864, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit commercial sexual exploitation of minors in exchange for cash, in kind favors, or other compensation through an intermediary who profits from using the minors for specified pornographic or erotic purposes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Family Forum, Sisters Offering Support, Aloha Pregnancy Care & Counseling Center, and two private citizens. Testimony in opposition was received from the Honolulu Police Department, Hawaii County Police Department, Public Defender, and the Libertarian Party of Hawaii. The Attorney General submitted comments.

Your Committee is concerned with the growing problem of sexual exploitation of youth in Hawaii. Your Committee is also disturbed by the story of one child who was solicited into exotic dancing and later arrested and placed in the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility for one year while the owners of the club stayed in business and suffered no consequence. Your Committee will not tolerate Hawaii's children being lured, coerced, or forced into sexual exploitation.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 864, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 864, S.D. 2.